Lovesick
by Lancelotlaureate
Summary: Ian had planned a wonderful date for Barbara. There's just one problem- it's on a boat and he gets seasick.


Ian's face drained of colour as he stood on the deck of the boat, trying not to look at the water below. Where his lips before had been ready for kisses with Barbara, they were now dry, and where his hair had been presentable, it was now falling onto his face as his fingers continued to run through it as he rubbed his head anxiously.

"I wish you'd told me you got seasickness."

Ian could hear Barbara saying the words but her voice was distant as the motion of the boat blurred his senses. He took a deep breath and then looked up at Barbara with embarrassment.

"I'm sorry about this, Barbara," he said giving her a feeble attempt at a smile.

She rubbed his shoulder gently. "Oh Ian, you don't have to apologise."

"I knew you liked being at sea. I thought you'd appreciate the date. I guess I never considered the choppy weather."

Barbara let out a sympathetic smile. "You daft thing. Well, as sweet as it is of you to think of me, I'd rather be on a date where my boyfriend doesn't feel so awful. Do you think you'll be alright for the next half hour until we get back to dry land?"

Ian's ghostly white face nodded. "I hope so. I've coped with worse; the Doctor's driving for one."

She helped him into a more upright position and led him away from the edge of the boat. Ian clutched his stomach as they walked, and leaned against her wearily, his eyes heavy and his head spinning with dizziness.

"Wait Barbara, stop. I'm really giddy- can we sit somewhere until the whole boat stops spinning?"

She nodded and helped him to the nearest bench on the deck and rested him into a sitting up position, loosening his tie in the process. "Do you need your head between your legs or will this be alright?"

"Don't make this more embarrassing than it already is!"

"Nonsense. You are allowed weaknesses you know, Mr Chesterton? You are not an indestructible force."

"I'm not?" He laughed slightly, as much as he could with the queasy feeling rising in his stomach. Looking at Barbara he felt somewhat better even with the constant churning. She was so very beautiful and somehow even though he felt as ill as could be, she made everything better, like it was all worth it.

She smiled at him for a moment and then pulled some windswept hair away from his eyes with her delicate fingers. "There we are, now I can see those beautiful blue eyes of yours."

"I'm seeing double."

"Oh dear," Barbara said giving him a gentle squeeze and then placing her own jacket around his shoulders and tucking it around him.

"Oh no, Barbara, you'll get cold."

"I don't mind. I'd rather you felt better."

"But it's my job to give you my jacket!"

"And that's very chivalrous of you, but it's my job to make sure you don't keel over and die…at least before the wedding." She laughed.

He grinned back at her with an infectious smile, a smile that showed no hint of illness. It didn't take long however for Ian to start slipping from his position until he was awkwardly perched with his head resting on his own shoulder and his back no longer supported by the bench. Barbara looked down at him and let out a giggle at the usually well postured Ian slumped uncomfortably on the seat. "You do look funny, what are you doing down there?"

Ian smirked cheekily and glanced up at her, his eye line meeting her breasts. "Admiring the view."

She slapped him playfully on the arm for his childish comment and chuckle and then helped him back into an upright position, stroking his hair with her fingers. "We're almost home, or the hotel rather. How about we get off this boat soon and we curl up by the fire and you'll feel much better?"

He leaned his head onto her shoulder gently, feeling content and at ease for the briefest of moments. "Perhaps we should get as close to the exit so we can be the first ones off."

"Alright, we'll go and stand over there if you can, by the railing just there."

He nodded, and slowly and carefully they walked arm in arm to the railings.

"Try not to stare at the waves too much," she said as she herself looked down at the blue. The sea was quite fierce and the boat was bouncing quite intensely, though it didn't affect her at all in the same way it did for Ian.

Ian took a deep breath, and disobeying her advice, he peered over the side, hoping at last his eyes had adjusted to his surroundings and that he was getting used to the choppiness of the journey. Unfortunately as he looked at the water, his eyes closed and opened twice in astonishment. He was sure he could see someone in the water staring up at him. When he looked closer he could see the face of the Doctor smiling at him and chuckling in that way he did when he was being mischievous.

"Dear, dear, seasickness Chesterton. Come on my boy not again, its nothing, hardly a battle with a Dalek is it hmm?"

Ian shook his head in disbelief, rubbed his eyes and then looked at the water again, but this time he didn't see the face of the chuckling Doctor, but that of his former companion Vicki instead. Now he was even more confused.

"Ian!" the voice said mockingly. "Seasick again? I remember when we were on the Mary Celeste and you felt horrid. Barbara didn't know you were sick then, but I could tell, it was so obvious. Of course it couldn't have helped when I hit you on the head!"

He shuddered and wrapped his arms around his body tightly. "Oh go away," he said aloud as the face of Vicki began to taunt him from the blue.

"I'm sorry?" Barbara asked, hearing his cry directed at the water. "Are you talking to me?"

Ian shook away his thoughts and focused again and looked back at the face of the woman he adored and not the water which was making his headache worse. "No, of course not, I just thought I saw something, must be my mind playing tricks again."

"We're almost there," Barbara said looking into the distance and smiling. "You'll feel right as rain in no time." She held onto his hand tightly as they stood on deck, the wind battering them from all directions.

"Barbara, I'm sorry I ruined our date. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

She tapped him gently on the arm and kissed him on the forehead. "You did nothing of the sort. This will just end up one of those stories we tell our grandchildren."

He stared at her and a huge smile spread across his pale face. It was the first time she'd ever said anything that implied she wanted to start a family with him one day.

"Well illness aside," she added. "I think this date hasn't gone at all badly."

Ian's eyebrow rose in surprise. "You must have had some atrocious dates then."

"It's the company that makes the date, Ian."

"Even if I've not got perfect sea legs like a real sailor?"

"Even then."

Ian laughed and though he felt just as giddy as before, he suddenly started to talk in his best sailor voice, complimenting Barbara on her hair and outfit in a rather odd accent.

Barbara placed her hand over her mouth, trying not to laugh. "Oh Ian, why must every accent you do sound like a pirate? Even your 'Richard the III' sounds suspiciously like one."

"A horse! A horse! A kingdom for a horse!" Ian said as best as he could through his feebleness. "Still sound like a pirate?"

"A seasick pirate- now I've heard everything."

As the new couple made their way off the boat hand in hand, he turned to her and laughed shyly. "I guess I give a whole new meaning to the term 'lovesick' eh?"


End file.
